There is a sense throughout Domino Effect that Mullingar ska-pop outfit the Blizzards have a point to prove: their second album is leaner, shorter, and more varied musically than their 2006 debut, but in doing so loses a little of the carefree vibe so prominent on that album. The lyrical themes remain delightfully topical, ranging from sex-starved boys posing as doctors to get laid on lead single "Trust Me I'm a Doctor" to "Silence Is Violence," a sharp-witted, blaring horn-assisted rebuke of the ill effects of "the silent treatment." Yet there is a more sinister undercurrent that runs through songs like the title track, an extended dissertation on the banal homogeneity of trendy (British) indie bands, and the vaguely paranoid opener "Buy It Sell It" that, quite frankly, doesn't suit a band noted for sending out good vibes rather than mean-spirited jabs. Musically, there's not an awful lot to distinguish it from A Public Display of Affection: the 2 Tone ska influence is slightly dampened, replaced by a brass-focused sound à la Streetlight Manifesto, while standout single "The Reason" is strongly reminiscent of Dublin funk outfit Republic of Loose (the latter's female vocalists make a brief appearance on the track). However, it's "Postcards," one of just two ballads on the record, that registers the greater emotional impact, a beautifully melodic pop song written candidly, and touchingly, from the perspective of a dead man looking down on his bereaved lover. Domino Effect suffers mildly from inconsistency, with stodgy under-produced rockers like "Buy It Sell It" balancing out the more stellar pop tracks, but all in all it's a worthy follow-up from a band that will look to break out of the Irish market in the coming year.
© Dave Donnelly /TiVo